How Derby County slipped to edge of disappearance January 20, 2022 They are former English champions and in top form under the management of Wayne Rooney, yet day by day Derby County are inching towards liquidation and disappearing from football forever. Their story is one of financial mismanagement in a desperate bid to achieve promotion to the Premier League; administrators scrambling to find a buyer – [...]
Manchester United: Has Rangnick failed to instil his philosophy? January 20, 2022 When Ralf Rangnick arrived at Manchester United last month, the interim manager was expected to reinvent the philosophy from a lethargic and confused style under the previous regime to his trademark gegenpressing. “This is the only way we can compete at this level,” said Rangnick earlier this month. “Whenever you watch games, even if it’s [...]
Yorkshire hire World Cup winning former West Indies head coach Ottis Gibson January 19, 2022 Yorkshire have appointed former West Indies and South Africa head coach Ottis Gibson on a three-year contract starting next month. Gibson, who also had a stint as England bowling coach, is set to become only the second black head coach in the history of county cricket. He replaces Andrew Gale, who was among 16 people [...]
Murray and Raducanu rise to occasion and silence doubters at Australian Open January 18, 2022 Three years on from what was meant to be the curtain call for his career, Andy Murray is still winning matches at the Australian Open. Today in Melbourne, Murray beat 21st seed Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-1, 3-6, 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 6-4 in the kind of belligerent five-set grind that has long been his calling card. With [...]
Trevor Steven: Supply teacher Rafa Benitez was never right fit for Everton January 17, 2022 Watching them lose at Norwich City on Saturday made me realise that Rafa Benitez’s Everton were in crisis. It was the first time I had worried about their prospects for the rest of the season, the first time I thought that there was nothing left from this group of players under that manager. Although we [...]
English football’s postponement rules are broken. It needs to fix them January 17, 2022 To say the postponement of yesterday’s north London derby divided opinion would be an understatement. Tottenham Hotspur and, going by social media, the overwhelming majority of their fans were outraged that Arsenal’s request to defer the game for an unspecified number of Covid-19 cases had been accepted by the Premier League. Arsenal supporters, meanwhile, seemed [...]
Rafa Benitez sacked as Everton manager January 16, 2022 Rafa Benitez has been sacked as Everton manager after less than seven months in charge. In a statement, Everton said: “Everton Football Club can confirm the departure of Rafael Benitez as first team manager. “Benitez, who joined Everton in June 2021, has left the Club with immediate effect. “An update on a permanent replacement will [...]
Premier League confirm interim chairman to replace Hoffman next month January 13, 2022 The Premier League has confirmed that Peter McCormick will become interim chair when Gary Hoffman steps down on the first day of next month. McCormick was approved unanimously by the clubs while a permanent recruitment process continues. Hoffman is stepping down after just 18 month’s in charge – following a backlash over the League’s handling [...]
Ed Warner: We must remember the human cost of Olympic dreams January 13, 2022 What have the Australians ever done for us? Monty Python would struggle for a list of sporting gifts to match the Romans’ sanitation, medicine, roads etc, especially in the middle of the current Ashes drubbing. But with the 10th anniversary of London 2012 only six months away, let’s not forget that it was the Aussies [...]
Will Mikel Arteta’s real Arsenal stand up? January 13, 2022 When tonight’s Carabao Cup semi-final first leg between Liverpool and Arsenal was due to take place last week, there was a spring in the step of Mikel Arteta and those at the London club. Seven days later, they go into the contest attempting to recover from a costly stumble that has revived questions about the [...]